Austin Community College students on July 23 will get a first look at the school's newest campus in the former Highland Mall.

Students will tour the first phase of the new ACC Highland campus and share their experience on social media in advance of starting classes this fall at the new facility.

The campus so far is limited to renovations at the former J.C. Penney's building, a 200,000-square-foot space that now includes the school's new ACCelerator, the nation's largest learning lab, according to ACC, with 604 computer stations that provide individualized instruction. The renovated building also includes classrooms, computer labs, study areas, student common areas and a library.

The ACCelerator learning lab will have a specific focus on assisting math students. Constance Elko, chair of ACC's math department, will join the tour to discuss the benefits the new lab is expected to bring students.

"The Highland campus allows us to reach many more students who need our new math classes," Elko said in a written statement from February. "We've seen amazing success on a smaller scale, and we're excited to make the instruction more widely available."

There are multiple other plans to further renovate the former Highland Mall property. Last November, ACC board members selected Austin-based O'Connell Robertson to develop a master plan for renovating the rest of the mall, which ACC purchased in 2010. A final draft of their plans, including phases and project timelines, should be presented to ACC board members in late summer or early fall.

The next phase of Highland Mall renovations will be funded by bond money, pending voter approval this November. ACC's board is asking voters to approve a $386 million bond that includes $152.8 million for Highland campus renovations.

Also, Red Leaf Properties LLC owns the parking lots surrounding the former mall and plans to develop apartments, retail space and potentially office buildings that would complement the increased activity anticipated from ACC's efforts.

Keep track of student tours, which take place 10:30–11:30 a.m. July 23 at the Highland campus, 6101 Airport Blvd., by following the Twitter hashtag #ACCHighland.